Carlos the Jackal, the jailed Venezuelan terrorist, is to face trial for his alleged role in bombings in 1982 and 1983 in France, which killed 12 people and injured at least 100, a judicial official said yesterday. Jean-Louis Bruguière, an anti-terrorist judge who tracked down Carlos, 57, whose real name is Ilich Ramirez Sánchez, ordered him to stand trial for the four attacks after a 20-year investigation into his role. The terrorist is serving a life sentence in France for the 1975 murders of two French secret agents and an alleged informer. He gained notoriety as the cold war-era mastermind of terror attacks.Associated Press, Paris

20,000 expected at rally supporting sacked judge

Police have detained more than 500 activists from opposition political parties in the lead-up to a rally in support of Pakistan's sacked chief justice. President Pervez Musharraf sparked anger by suspending the supreme court chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, for allegedly abusing his office. Lawyers and opposition parties have staged demonstrations across Pakistan, and expect up to 20,000 people for today's rally in Lahore, where Mr Chaudhry is to speak. Critics say Gen Musharraf is trying to get rid of an independent judge ahead of possible legal challenges to his continued rule.Associated Press, Lahore